Dear Class of 2016 (and all future classes),
Enough! The time has come to end the annual drama of who is and is not worthy of being a commencement speaker once and for all. The backlash against former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as commencement speaker at Scripps College, an all women institution, is just the latest in a long line of controversies surrounding the choice of speaker.
Full disclosure, I grew up in England and my graduation for both my BA and MPhil were lovely, sedate affairs where the graduate was celebrated and congratulated, but not lectured to by a political dignitary, or wildly funny comedian or a boring eminent speaker that no one had heard of. The events were for me, my fellow graduates and our family and friends. They were not complicated by some final words of wisdom that a full course of university education apparently failed to provide. Graduation celebrations were not marked by a feeling of superiority or inferiority depending on who came to speak because such an outsider was never invited to speak. Graduation day was not preceded by rancor and discord of the most intolerant kind as the battle lines were drawn over who rates.
There is only way to end the drama. The tradition of inviting commencement speakers must be phased out. Before I am accused of intolerance myself, hear me out. Why go to college? For me it is about expanding the mind, first and foremost. Learn to think critically. Perfect the art of cogent argument against your most rabid foes. Widen your horizons by meeting people from all parts. Listen to people as well as hear them. Learn to fend for yourself. The battles that have ensued over the choices of commencement speakers suggest that our institutions of higher learning have failed miserably in imparting this set of skills that will prepare students for life “on the outside.”
If there must be some kind of speech that is part of the graduating ceremony have it come from within the community, an inspiring student or person on staff; an alumnus that represents the true values of that institution; the President of the College and the President of the student body. If there is a budget to pay for outside commencement speakers put that back into providing financial aid.
Being the beneficiary of higher education in this country puts you in a class of privileged people (the sad state of American higher education is that the majority are likely already to be privileged) and the tone of the argument over whose voice should be heard and whose should be silenced at commencement reeks of privilege of the worst kind.
Your years at college should have exposed you to a wide range of thinking, should have allowed you to question people in authority, challenge viewpoints and maybe change some minds or have your mind changed occasionally. Graduation day celebrates all that. Let’s raise a glass to the commencement speakers who have come before but graduate to something more meaningful and less small minded.
Madhulika Sikka is a media executive and mother of an NYU class of 2019 graduate and TBD class of 2021 graduate
